Great rides at 'Need For Speed' opening - King Midas Mufflers connects with clientele

Chad Bryan, Star Writer

Last week Friday, customers and friends of King Midas Mufflers were feted to the opening of the movie Need for Speed, held at the Carib 5 cinema in Cross Roads, St Andrew.

The video-game franchise of the same name led to the movie.

"Our association with the movie was automatic and it was a good way to get our customers and friends together to share the opening night and our love of cars. We try to keep a long-term relationship with our customers and sometimes we reignite that connection," Paul Cole told Automotives. "We only endorse racing in a controlled and safe environment, like in video games and those (locations) similar to Dover and Vernamfield," the King Midas Mufflers managing director said.

There were a number of visually stunning motor vehicles outside the cinema. These included a 2009 Honda Civic Type R, 2012 Porsche Cayenne, 2007 BMW 3 series coupe and the star vehicle of the evening, a 2013 Ford Mustang, which is driven by Aaron Paul in the movie.

Fuel efficient Mustang

Despite the large engine size, the Mustang's owner said it is not a gas guzzler. "The vehicle is very fuel efficient. I have two Japanese four cylinder vehicles and it is even more fuel efficient than those. It was brought in from Miami, Florida, in 2012," he said. He also pointed out that the vehicle goes from 0 - 60 miles per hour in about 6.8 seconds.

The Mustang is essentially the same as the one in Need For Speed, except that it has black stripes while the one in the movie sports blue.

Need For Speed, the movie, features fast-paced and hair-raising stunts, action and driving similar to what fans of the video game franchise have come to appreciate. The Scott Waugh-directed film, distributed by Dream Works, chronicles a nigh-impossible, cross-country journey for the movie's heroes, which begins as a mission of revenge, but ends up being a journey of redemption.